


Stranded

by Taaya



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alien Planet, M/M, Slow Burn, Stranded, hopefully as I am not very patient with my own stories, inspired by Star Trek Voyager
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-03-07 07:44:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13430124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taaya/pseuds/Taaya
Summary: While surveying an alien planet, Kirk and Spock get infected with something that makes it impossible for them to leave the planet. While searching for an antidote they have to face their biggest challenge so far: Living together with nobody else around and no space travel to distract them from domestic life.





	1. Chapter 1

“Beam us down”, Kirk nodded towards Scotty. He stood on the transporter platform, waiting to survey a planet that promised to be a paradise for a new group of Federation pioneers. No sentient beings, no mammals or other predators bigger than a rabbit, lots of resources, water, perfect mixture of nitrogen and oxygen, …

That’s why he even declined taking security men with them. What could possibly happen down on the surface? They just had to look if the planet was as good down there as it looked from up above. Almost paid holidays.

The first thing he saw once he rematerialized was Spock next to him. The Vulcan already held his tricorder and scanned the surroundings. Especially the plants caught his attention.

“Edible for most humanoids. And the ground proves to be fertile. Agriculture should be able to sustain pioneer settlement and possibly trading as well”, he said calmly.

“Let’s go and have a look around, see if we can find a good spot for a village. Maybe at a small lake or river so they don’t have to walk too far for water before they can establish water purification.” Kirk smiled brightly.

This planet looked beautiful. In a few years it might become the perfect vacation planet for stressed space captains and administrative workers that just wanted a few quiet days. 

He walked off towards a small forest that looked a lot like it could have grown on earth as well - just that the leaves were purple and turquoise instead of green.

Spock followed, still scanning everything in his way and arching his brow every now and then in silence.

Finally Kirk stopped and sat down next to a lake where he could even see fish moving just below the surface of water. “Isn’t it beautiful? Are the fish edible as well?”

“Everything on this planet seems to be either edible or else usable for the pioneers. It seems one could not have picked a better spot. According to our data the weather is agreeable all year long, there is an overabundance of resources, some even rare enough that the settlers could make their living just with them, and the fish - while not having as much flesh on them as most fish commonly eaten on earth, have the same basic chemical structure. I would assume they even taste like earth fish.”

His captain grinned. “So I should think about claiming a small part of the planet for myself, and build myself a home for retirement”, he joked.

“You would have to ask Federation administration if you are allowed to, as the planet is officially claimed, but if you are already making plans for your retirement, and do not want to return to earth, then … yes.”

“It was a joke, Spock. I have my family farm and at least 30 years until Starfleet might think about forcing me to retire. I mean it truly is beautiful here, and I’d love to go hiking in those mountains up there.” He pointed to a few mountain peaks barely visible in the distance.

“But I don’t see me as the settling down type of man. I’d probably buy myself an old used ship once Starfleet doesn’t want me anymore and go on exploring space on my own.”

Spock simply inclined his head. “As you wish.”

“Okay, what do you think? Do you want to go for a swim or should we beam back and submit our report?”

“Captain, Vulcans do not tend to swim.”

Kirk seemed to think about it for a moment and then shrugged. “Alright. I guess we should head back then.”

If Spock would not want to forget duty for a moment, Jim would not do so either. It was just not fair to have fun while your best friend stands there watching and waiting for you. “But how about relaxing otherwise this evening? Are you up for a game of chess?”

Spock nodded once. “That would be agreeable.”

Jim beamed at him. Swimming could wait, then. If everything went smoothly, command would allow them a few days of shore leave soon anyway. Maybe he could persuade them to grant them here and now?

“Kirk to Enterprise? Two to beam up, Scotty.”  
With a last glance around he saw the planet disappear in a sea of light. And then everything was pain.

“Jim!” Spock almost cried the name out and rushed to his friend’s side to catch him. Kirk had collapsed as soon as he took the first breath of ship air.

“Call sick bay”, he ordered Mr. Scott and then he felt it as well. His lunges felt like they were filled with fire. Every breath hurt, too much for his vulcan mind to control it. And the last thing he remembered was trying to fall in a way so that Jim would land on him instead of under him. He had to protect his captain at all cost.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They survived, but at what cost?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the different formatting. It obviously makes a difference if you use the phone or the computer to copy and paste from a Google Doc.  
> O.o

When Jim opened his eyes, he was back on the planet. Spock was lying next to him, his chest moving up and down slowly, and also there was a computer like the one installed into his desk in his quarters. It showed McCoys face. Why would it do that? No, it was McCoy himself, a vid call live from the Enterprise? 

 

“Oh, good, it worked. Hello sleeping beauty.” 

 

Jim rubbed his aching head. “What happened?” 

 

Next to him Spock stirred and slowly opened his eyes. He looked like crap. More or less like Jim felt, then. 

 

“Actually we don’t know yet. We beamed you up and you both collapsed. You were on the brink of death. Something affected your organs. It was as if you could not breathe our air any longer. So we took a shot and beamed you back down. How do you feel?” 

 

Jim held up a finger, telling McCoy to wait for a second. Then he carefully moved every part of his body, took a few deep breaths and finally stood up. “Except for a headache and sore muscles somewhere around my lungs I feel fine. Spock?”

 

The Vulcan nodded. “I do no longer experience any pain. But I do seem fatigued. It strained my body to try to control whatever happened to it. Still I do believe I am able to fulfill my duty.” 

 

“What duty? Right now, it looks like we can’t beam you up. And we can’t risk beaming anybody else down either.” McCoy sounded tired as well. He had dark shadows around his eyes speaking of too many hours without sleep.

 

“What do you mean? There has to be a way to get us back on the Enterprise.” Jim’s face held a mixture of shock and anger. “There has to be something you can do.” 

 

McCoy shrugged. “Right now I honestly don’t know, Jim. Somebody has to take samples of everything you encountered on the planet. Water, air, plants, spores, insects, everything. But we can’t risk infecting anyone else. And to find an antidote, cure, vaccination, or whatever could help you, we first have to find what brought this on in the first place. So … well …” 

 

Spock finally stood up as well and came closer to the screen. “You need us to make all the tests.” 

 

“Yes. And submit everything you find. As datafiles, not specimen and samples. But we don’t know how long that might take.” 

 

Spock nodded. “I understand.” 

 

“Understand what?” Jim was visibly angry. 

 

“Captain, we can’t risk anyone else, and we can’t go back up. Therefore we have to temporarily make ourselves at home here, set up all the instruments we need to find a cure. It might … Your joke of settling down here might become reality. And if we cannot find an antidote, perhaps even for good.” 

 

McCoy nodded slowly. “We already spoke to Starfleet Command. This planet is under quarantine. Nobody is allowed to beam down and noone is allowed up until further notice. Settlement plans are called off. We are allowed to give you everything you need, but everything that once beamed down is not allowed to get back up until we know it’s safe. There is a freighter coming our way, bringing the research equipment we can’t spare ourselves and we will start transporting basic  elements for huts soon. Scotty is on it and packs up everything you might need.” 

 

Kirk growled and began pacing. 

 

“Jim”, McCoy tried to get him to listen, but the captain was not interested in listening. 

 

Spock stood there watching and finally stepped in his friend’s way. “Captain, we have been at such point quite often already. We will be able to find a cure and go back to the ship. Please do not despair.” 

 

“I don’t … despair, Spock. I’m … pissed off. It has happened again. We’re stuck. Again! And my ship has lost its captain. Again.”

 

“Temporarily”, Spock interrupted. 

 

“Whatever. I’m just … sick of it. I could live with me being trapped here. That’s … I can live with ruining my life. Getting myself killed. But once again I …”

 

“Jim.” Spock’s voice was quiet and the vulcan version of warm. “You have not ruined my life and I chose this profession, knowing that I might die in space. Or on a planet, for that matter. We will find a way back. But you have to focus.”

 

“Actually he has to rest. Both of you. It will be a few days until you can start researching and you both nearly died. Medical leave, NOW. Well, not now, but once you set up your huts, you will relax.” McCoy tried his best to sound commanding, although he knew he could not come down to actually force them. 

 

Jim glanced at the screen and sighed. “Fine. Until Scotty beams down our stuff, I will go and take a walk. Bit of fresh air, that’s healthy, right?” He didn’t wait for an answer and went away. Within a few seconds he was near the forest and then he was nowhere to be seen anymore. 

 

McCoy sighed. “Look after him, Spock. Jim will calm down, soon. But he won’t stop blaming himself. Try to comfort and console him, like I would. I … I have Scotty beam down my good stuff, Brandy.” 

 

The Vulcan nodded in agreement. “I will care for him. Could you … include the chess board as well?” 

 

“I’ll see to it. Talk to you soon.” With that the screen went black. 


	3. Caged

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim is a little pissed off.

Jim sat on a rock, staring at the clearing in front of him. The forest was beautiful, he had to admit it. Trees overgrown with ivy and wild wine, the soft song of birds in the air, and he could see wild berries and mushrooms all around him, enough to feed them both for a while. 

 

But still he hated it. All of it. He did not want to be trapped somewhere where there was nobody to keep him company, nothing to explore, no heroic deeds waiting to be done. All he had here was … 

Well, okay, Spock. He liked Spock, sure. And probably he could not have asked for better company for a situation like this. 

 

A woman would sooner or later demand too much of him. Too much attention, too much love, too much of everything he wasn’t able to give. And while he had known Bones already for half his life and loved him like a brother, his profession would still make him go nuts about healthy food, enough sports, … Spending a whole life with a physician, and ONLY with a physician sounded more like torture than like bliss.

So Spock actually was the best he could have hoped for. Still he already felt caged. He wanted to get back to what he knew best. More than a few days at just one spot in the universe, that was horrific to him. He had to get through it in order to get through the Academy, but since Tarsus he prefered to keep moving. And with the years fear of starving at a harsh, hostile place was replaced by curiosity for what was out there and boredom with what was at hand. 

 

Kirk closed his eyes and rubbed his face, trying to clear his mind. When he opened his eyes again, Spock was standing in front of him, and he basically jumped. 

“God, do you have to be so catlike?”, he snapped, clutching his chest. His heart hurt from the sudden rush of adrenaline. 

 

“I apologize. I did not wish to startle you.” 

 

How could anyone be so calm? Damn Vulcans. Jim was jealous of their ability to control themselves. Still he shrugged. “Not your fault, I guess. I should have paid attention. Is there something you want?”

 

“To see how you cope. And to inform you that the elements of which to build our huts have now been beamed down. I will start setting them up soon. The climate is mild but the nights will get cold, and there are clouds building in the sky. I would prefer to have shelter if it is starting to rain.” 

 

“Alright, I’m coming.” 

 

Spock looked down at his captain. “Jim, I do believe you should rest.” He could recall the moment of panic when Jim collapsed back on the transporter platform and to feel the life running out of him. He did not want to see this ever again. 

 

“Are you saying …? You know what? I am the captain, I will help build our huts. No arguing.” He needed to do this, needed to feel responsible, useful again. He needed to be in control. And Spock could not take this away from him, no matter how good his intentions were. 

 

Spock opened his mouth, paused and nodded. “As you wish.” 

 

Kirk froze for a moment, then he went over to the berries, picking up as much as he could carry. They would need food and he was pretty sure that Bones did not sent anything that could remotely be called dessert.

 

And so they went back to the spot they had picked as perfect for a village, not knowing back then that they had to be the villagers now. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3 chapters and I am already stuck -.- Might take some time. I know how it ends, but I don't wnat to end it too soon. 
> 
> And yep, I use "As you wish" too often. But ... well ... If you ever read The Princess Bride, you know that is the best sentence in the world.


	4. Setting up a home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, the first moment of domestic ... non-bliss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long. On the one hand my depression seems stronger nowadays, on the other hand searching and applying for jobs is taking its toll - and a lot of my time. 
> 
> (I also corrected a few typos in the earlier chapters. If you still find some, just tell me. I don't mind and as a non-native I want to get better, correcting my mistakes helps me ;) )

They set up the huts as close together as possible, to reduce the time spent walking if they had to talk. Both sleeping huts and the research dome, that also had to be used as living room for now as the Enterprise hadn’t had any more emergency settlement sets, were build in a circle around a fire spot to cook and keep them warm until the solar collectors had collected enough energy to use a radiator. 

 

Thankfully Spock was able to start the fire before the rain started to fall and with the - thankfully flameproof - huts so close by it was more or less protected against the oncoming storm. 

 

Still both men now sat in the research dome, unwilling to get out. Even the few steps to their own huts seemed too uncomfortable to endure.

 

“So…”, Jim began and rubbed his forehead. Now he felt even worse and Spock looked tired as well. The Vulcan was cutting vegetables beamed down from the Enterprise to prepare a simple salad as dinner. 

 

“Yes?”

 

“I … I am sorry I left you alone earlier. I just …”

 

Spock watched him with a stoic face. “There is no need to apologize. I do realize that this is a situation you never wished to find yourself in. But I want to make a suggestion.” 

 

Jim frowned, then nodded. “Sure, go ahead.” 

 

“You found yourself looking forward to shore leave. You should see it as such. I will try to find the reason for our illness and you  can rest and do whatever you wish to do.” 

 

“And let you work on your own?” Jim blinked. “This has nothing to do with me having not the slightest idea of medicine?” 

 

“While this might have been a convincing argument, it rather had to do with Dr. McCoy asking me to take care of you. And I do not need to remind you of the fact that you almost died.” 

 

“So did you.” 

 

But I am Vulcan”, Spock replied and Jim could have bet he could see slight amusement in the dark eyes. It seemed Spock loved to play this card. What could a human say against it? “Now would you please eat your salad? You need your strength.”

 

Jim sighed dramatically but complied with his First Officer. Arguing against it made no sense - and he was hungry!

 

Once they finished, Jim simply held the dishes out into the rain. It had to be enough to clean them this way, at least for the moment.

 

„Now, is there really nothing we can do until we get our research equipment“, Jim finally asked, once he had dried the plates and sat back down on his chair. He was willing to relax if there was truly nothing he could add to help in their situation. But if there was the tiniest bit he could do, he would not hesitate.

 

Spock looked up. „Actually there is something we should consider doing as soon as possible. If I remember correctly, neither of us drank or ate anything on our survey mission earlier. That means that whatever might have caused our symptoms, it must have been either inhaled, or we were exposed via radiation. Or …“ Spock paused. „We might have been stung or bitten by insects without noticing it. Most blood drinking species use chemicals to numb the pain they cause. Therefore we have to examine our bodies for signs of bites or other small wounds.“

 

Jim thought for a moment, then shrugged. „I assume we need to help each other. I don’t have eyes on the back of my head to check my own backside and neither do you.“ With that he pulled his uniform shirt over his head.

 

„Captain, we could contact Dr. McCoy. The camera is good enough for him to examine us via video call.“

 

„I don’t mind being naked in front of you. But if you feel uncomfortable with it, we can call Bones, sure.“ He didn’t want to wake up his friend for something as unimportant as a mosquito bite, but Vulcans were rather reserved and he did not want to make a cultural fauxpas. A bigger one than usual, that is.

 

„If you do not mind, than I do not either.“

 

Jim gave him a soft smile and continued stripping off his clothes.


	5. Thorough examinations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looking for insect bites.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rather slow paced, sorry.   
> (Writing slow burn is soooo hard.)

Jim had assumed that seeing Spock naked would be something that would be awkward. That due to his Vulcan heritage this would be something they would try to forget and never think about. But actually this rather felt like the good old time when he had been just an Ensign, taking a shower in the gym after working out. Nowadays people respectfully waited outside for their Captain to shower privately, but back then he had seen his fair share of male bodies. 

With Spock it was - surprisingly - the same. It felt like nothing special to be undressed in front of the Vulcan and if Spock felt any different about it, he didn’t show. 

Okay, Jim had to admit to himself, things got rather strange when they had to get really close in order to examine every part of each other. There was a slight bump in Spock’s skin between the shoulder blades and he stretched out his hand, letting his fingers run over it to truly find out what that was. His mind kicked in the moment Spock shivered. 

“I’m sorry. I had to ask first. And try to think about nothing.” Hopefully Spock hadn’t caught too many of his thoughts as Jim was actually just thinking of how he had once done something similar with Ruth and how that had ended in a long and sleepless night. 

“I was aware of that possibility and raised my shields. But I had not anticipated your hand to be that cold.” 

Jim blushed, not even knowing why. “Sorry. But if it’s any consolation, that thing here on your back is just a tiny scar. Whatever you did there, it’s no fresh mosquito bite.”

“Actually, I would have prefered a bite as finding a virus or some bacteria carried by insects would take less time than finding something in the air.” 

Jim nodded, although Spock couldn’t see it. “Well, I’m not through with you yet. Maybe I do find something to lighten your mood. Just … Well, if it’s something like earth insects, it could have gotten literally everywhere.” 

“If you are referring to ticks, those are no insects but arachnids. But I concur. We will have to search our bodies as carefully as possible. I … will not take insult in whatever you do.” 

Jim swallowed down a heavy lump that felt stuck in his throat. Until right now he had not even thought about what that would mean. “Alright, sit down, please. If we do this the right way, I might at least start with less … private spots.” 

Carefully and slowly he let his fingers glide through silky almost-black hair, trying not to miss any sign of a bite on the soft skin below. He had always wondered what the hair might feel like. It looked inhumanly perfect, no matter what Spock did. But it felt just … normal. Almost disappointing, if he was honest. But still so soft. 

When he touched the delicate ears, the Vulcan flinched almost unnoticeably. “I know, I’m so so sorry”, Jim murmured. He wouldn’t cause any pain, he knew that. But still even for a human the ears were rather sensitive to the touch and he didn’t dare to imagine how Spock felt about somebody touching him this way. 

But there wasn’t a tick or anything else to be found and sooner or later he ran out of places to check that weren’t too mortifying to touch. When even Spock’s feet were unharmed, he stopped.

“Jim”, the soft baritone of Spock’s voice said. “I truly do not mind. It is necessary and as it is part of a routine medical examination I am quite used to strangers touching my genitals and posterior.” 

“But it’s different with friends, isn’t it?”

He could see Spock think, imagined the sound of a working computer and the blinking lights he was so used to when giving the Enterprise main computer a new task. 

“It might be. But differently than your tone suggests. Why would I prefer to be touched by a stranger instead of a friend I trust? If that is the human way of thinking, it is me who has to apologize for examining you later. But to me it does seem more logical to let a confidant do this work than somebody I do not know who might have either a hidden agenda or just no tact and manners.” 

Jim grinned. “Okay, if you put it that way? But … later on. Please do it as … medical as possible, okay? Not … friendlike.” He could live with Spock touching him. He really could. But he feared his body might betray him, not because of who would touch him, but because of how he might be touched.

It was awkward. Interesting, somehow, but awkward. Touching Spock everywhere, having Spock touch him everywhere. But they kept it clinical. And for some reason Kirk rather felt emotionally closer to Spock later on. And yes, he might have enjoyed warm hands tracing the scars that Tarsus and many landing party assignments had left on his skin. It was nice to feel soft fingertips roaming his body, not clinging to him in a moment of lust as he knew so well, but simply discovering him. 

Still, in the end he was more than happy to put his clothes back on. “No sign of insects or ticks on me either”, he summarized. “So there goes the easy solution.” 

“There are a few spots even we could not reach that easily. I do not have the camera equipment to look inside your nostrils for example. But I assume that if any being actually crawled into our body openings, we would have noticed. Therefore I assume that whatever caused our predicament, surrounds us. Which means that until the freighter brings the necessary materials, there is nothing we can do.” 

“So, shore leave for both of us?”

“Indeed, Captain.” 

“That means, at least I have the time to break the Vulcan habit of not swimming.” 

Spock looked as if he’d long to openly sigh. “I assume that as there is nothing else we might do, I might have no reason to decline your wish.” 

Jim grinned. But for now there wasn’t much they could do. The weather outside was awful and it was already dark outside. “So … It doesn’t look like the weather gets better soon and I bet even the few steps to my hut would be enough to get soaking wet. So, I’m not exactly looking forward to go to bed. Feel up to a chess match?”


End file.
